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Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Swallow roost

Having spent nearly all day thinking and talking about central heating... enthralling; it was time for birding. (Birding did intervene a little as during the discussions, I suddenly went, "Sparrowhawk!" as one flipped over the Rosebay and twisted across the front garden. Louise didn't alter her expression, visitors were slightly bemused.) I did pop down to The Shunan at lunchtime, two Ruff still present and a Redpoll sp flew south-east.

Down to The Loons for the evening roost. At 8 p.m. there were 26 Swallows and by 9.30 p.m. there were an estimated 1,500; spectacular. Also Greenshank there and piles of Sedgies.

How many (blurry) Swallows?

There was a moment at lunchtime Shunan-side when autumn passerine mode kicked in. A warbler flipped up in the Creeping Thistle. I was pretty sure it was an unstreaked Accro but it was a brief glimpse. Got me going though, and I started pishing, a useful tactic with Accros and it worked. The inquisitive little beastie rattled the thistles and docks and gave three or four more glimpses. I got the camera ready (well how else would I ID an unstreaked Accro?). But then it fled to the hawthorn hedge and as it went I saw... streaks; darn it was just a local Sedgie.